MD & DO 3.64 cGPA, 3.82 sGPA, 28 Possible Re-applicant

[highhopes92]

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UPDATED GPA:

3.69 cGPA 3.80 sGPA

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Hello everyone,

This cycle, while not over is starting to look sour. I am very aware that adcoms want to see improvement on re-applicants so I want feed back, and advice now on what to do for the first half of 2014 to put myself in a better position for next application cycle. I am well aware that part of my problem is how late my application ended up being complete, but I know just applying earlier isn't enough to get accepted as a re-applicant.

Stats:
-3.64 cGPA and 3.82 sGPA, based off this semester this will probably be around where I stay GPA wise.
-28 MCAT (second take) 8 PS/10VR/10BS
-Submitted end of July, verified end Septemeber, however due to MCAT retake wasn't complete at schools until mid-end October
-2 years employment as an LNA (a bit out dated now, early years of college)
-Upon Graduation, 2 years in a research Lab, one publication, 3 posters, one at a regional conference where I was first author
-Vice-President of a non-academic club, Secretary of in Major Honor Society
-In January, going out of the country on a medical global humanities trip.

I am still in school which this limits so of my capabilities of doing things, but what do you think I can do to help my application.

Also for my Gap year, one year masters program, seeking employment, or any other suggestions?

I greatly appreciate your help.

 

[Goro]

You're fine for any DO program, but the 28 MCAT will hurt except perhaps at the lowest of the low-tier MD schools.

Hello everyone,

This cycle, while not over is starting to look sour. I am very aware that adcoms want to see improvement on re-applicants so I want feed back, and advice now on what to do for the first half of 2014 to put myself in a better position for next application cycle. I am well aware that part of my problem is how late my application ended up being complete, but I know just applying earlier isn't enough to get accepted as a re-applicant.

Stats:
-3.64 cGPA and 3.82 sGPA, based off this semester this will probably be around where I stay GPA wise.
-28 MCAT (second take) 8 PS/10VR/10BS
-Submitted end of July, verified end Septemeber, however due to MCAT retake wasn't complete at schools until mid-end October
-2 years employment as an LNA (a bit out dated now, early years of college)
-Upon Graduation, 2 years in a research Lab, one publication, 3 posters, one at a regional conference where I was first author
-Vice-President of a non-academic club, Secretary of in Major Honor Society
-In January, going out of the country on a medical global humanities trip.

I am still in school which this limits so of my capabilities of doing things, but what do you think I can do to help my application.

Also for my Gap year, one year masters program, seeking employment, or any other suggestions?

I greatly appreciate your help.

 

[mcrobbit]

Like Goro said, the Sub 30 MCAT will hurt you for every MD school other than "low teir" schools, and even then it will need to be counter balanced by other excellent parts of your application. You're fine for DO schools.

Your file to me already looks good in areas other than the MCAT. Retake the MCAT (shoot for A 32+) and seek some sort of research/clinical work/meaningful employment over your gap year to bolster your application. I don't necessarily think you need a Master's program or any academic work in your gap year since your cGPA/sGPA balance is already adequate.

edit: Actually, have you shadowed or had clinical experience outside of your time as an LNA? If not, that's a part of your app I'd fix over the gap year: Clinical experiences from the perspective of an MD or DO.

 

[highhopes92]

I am going to resurrect this old thread of mine. I am debating what to do with my gap year, and I've become very interested in possibly pursuing the NIH IRTA post-bacc. However, I am not sure if that will fix any of my innate flaws outside of the MCAT, which I believe to be the need of recent medical experience and as mcrobbit pointed out little shadowing. Also, I am not sure how much of what I'm doing in my gap year will really change anything in my application because by the time I apply in June ( I at least learned my lesson to apply early), I won't have done enough of anything to really write about.

So I guess my questions are,

1) If I apply in June how much weight does my gap year activities actually hold?
2)How bad does it look that the majority of the shadowing I have done has been accumulated in the past 5 months?
3) Should I consider taking two years off instead of just the one?
4)Is the NIH IRTA post-bacc actually a good idea? What if I can work in a clinical research lab?
5)What other options should I consider?

Thank you for your time and help!